


The Sense of Scale

by PlasmaBooks



Category: Doki Doki Literature Club! (Visual Novel)
Genre: F/F, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-15
Updated: 2019-07-04
Packaged: 2019-11-06 15:26:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17942276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PlasmaBooks/pseuds/PlasmaBooks
Summary: First, it was only them. Them, and their blazing rivalry. Them, and the glares they would send each other every time one of them stepped into the room. Them, and the unexplainable anger they felt for one another.For a while.It only lasted the month, because one of them picked up on something else.Something that only asked for concern.





	1. The First Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the first day back at the Literature Club!

She was short. She was short when she got there, and she was short when she left. Yuri remembered that much.

Seeing her now, after the three-month-long Summer break, practically nothing had changed.

Natsuki probably hadn’t even grown an inch. She stood against the wall across from the entrance. Her hair was still pink and short and tied at the front with that pointless hairband. Her eyes were still angry, and the color of salmon, and full of fire and spite.

No, Natsuki hadn’t changed at all. Yuri probably would have found comfort in the redundancy had its provider not aggravated her.

They were the only ones there, and both were internally wondering how much longer that would stand. The two of them were waiting on somebody, and said person had promised to be there that day, for the first day of the new club year, so it was a bit awkward to not have her already filling up the room with her voice.

Natsuki almost seemed content glaring at her. But Yuri could read her body language like she could read anything else; the girl was tense, perhaps waiting for a chance to say something bratty about something Yuri subconsciously does while getting to her desk.

“Her” desk had always been wherever she chose. They were just a party of four after all, so Monika never bothered to put up a seating chart. Yuri typically stayed to the left of the room simply because of the fact that all club activity tended to occur on the right. She wondered if Natsuki would pick up on the redundancy as she strode towards the desks, keeping to the left wall. A quick glance told her that Natsuki’s eyes were following her, but she pushed herself not to call it out. Monika would be there soon, and then they could just get started, and Natsuki would finally get her condescending eyes on something else.

Yuri blinked as she settled, slowly, into a chair. A rather violent thought, something she didn’t typically have, pushed its way to the front of her mind. Pushing it back was just as easy, but it lingered long after Yuri brought a book out of her bag and began to read in order to pass the time.

It was there when Monika - late as (increasingly) usual - stepped through the door, too.

“Sorry I’m late!”

She had always said the same thing. Sayori was the only one to ever respond to her.

_ Sayori.  _ Yuri blinked again as she thought about her. The girl had been struggling a lot towards the end of the last school year, and had always promised to get into therapy over the Summer. If she didn’t come back to the club, there’d be no way to tell if she actually kept her promise or not. But then again, Yuri never knew her all that well. She chalked it up to empathy and let it go.

Monika had said something else, but Yuri hadn’t caught it.

“Sayori is on her way”- oh, so she  _ was _ coming- “we were both just running super late. She should be right behind me actually-”

“I’m here, I’m here!”

The squeaky voice pushed Yuri to raise her head from her book, just in time to see Sayori, a panting mess, stumbling through the doorway. She had two or three books held in her arms, toting a bookbag with its one working strap on her shoulder. She looked almost like she’d ran up the three flights of stairs.

Sayori let out a string of apologies as she came into the room, rushing to get into a desk in the second row, just in front of where Monika was now standing.

When she realizes all eyes are on her, she ducks her head low and murmurs out a final “sorry”, her cheeks tinting a soft red.

“It’s okay, Sayori.” Monika says after a pause, the only one seeming interested in breaking the silence. “It’s the first day back to school. Everybody’s been late to something today.”

Sayori says nothing in response, but Yuri can just faintly see a grateful and still-apologetic smile stretch her lips as she nods her head, her eyes closed and facing towards her lap. She's still panting heavily, but there's no sound. All there is is Monika's voice.

“Speaking of the first day… all we’re going to do today is go over our general plans for this year.” Monika continues, looking up to address the rest of the group. “I’m very happy that we have our original members, and I want to make this year fun and worthwhile for each and every one of you. So, with that being said, first I would like to address festivals. Now, last year, we only got to plan one. The real thing never came into fruition due to… numerous complications.”

A faint smile tugs at Yuri’s lips as she remembers the “complications” - last year, two of them (Sayori and Monika, actually) had come down with the flu just days before the festival. With the two presidents of the club down for the count, the one festival they had planned was put on the chopping block, and they all finished the year deciding it best not to talk about their plunder.

Sayori giggles, probably at her own expense; she looks like she finds it humorous too, despite being - practically - the butt of the joke.

The giggle leads Monika to smile and exhale quickly through her nose as her eyes go back to Sayori, but she doesn’t stray from the topic at hand, raising a finger in the air as if to try to preserve authority.

“I did some thinking over the Summer. And I do believe a good goal for us to strive for this year would be  _ three _ festivals.” The one finger in the air is joined by two others as she exaggerates the word “three”. “And yes, I’m well aware that might make me sound crazy.”  Monika goes into an impression as she continues on, “But-But Monika! We didn’t even do  _ one  _ festival last year! How are we supposed to pull off  _ three? _ ”

Her fake-voice is too exaggeratedly high-pitched to be anyone else. Out of the corner of her eye Yuri sees Natsuki, still standing against the wall, raise her head up. When Yuri glances, she finds Natsuki staring Monika down with an unreadable expression. Monika doesn’t notice nor spare the girl a glance, instead switching back to her normal voice and continuing her speech.

“For one, we have more time now. I created the club four months before school let out last year. We didn’t hit four members until around three months. Making plans for a full on festival so close to finals season was probably not my best move. But we have almost ten months of school to work around now. Three festivals isn’t such an impossible goal and, if it turns out to be, at least we’ll have the chance to get in one good one before the year lets out.

Sayori is still our Vice President, so she’ll also be helping me keep things together. It’s going to be a great year, everyone! Let’s make it count!”   
  
Yuri figures that’s just something basic all leaders say to lighten spirits, but Monika’s confidence is both appreciated and contagious. The slight smile tugging at her lips grows just a bit more at even the vaguest thought of the year; there was a lot to look forward to, if she kept her cool. 

_ Just keep your cool. _

 

\-- 

 

The club day ended in jubilance -- at least, that’s what it felt like to her. Outwardly, she hardly showed anything, but far on inward her heart was happy and her brain decided the outcome was wholesome. Monika had gone over a few more things with them -- fundraising being one of the more unexpected -- and Sayori had even stood up to talk a bit. And now the air around was just  _ happy  _ and everything felt really light and easy and promising. 

Natsuki really, really liked today.

But then there was tonight.

But she didn’t like to think about that.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there it is! The first chapter of the new-and-improved "The Sense of Scale" is up and running! Sorry for the wait, you guys. Thank you for supporting me!
> 
> To those of you who were here before the original chapters were taken down -- first of all, hi! Welcome back! Second of all, you're probably the only ones who noticed that things are a LOT different now. Well, yes. Yes, they are. I wound up changing a lot of things while getting this typed up. Numerous ideas I had for the original story have been scrapped. I've gone back and forth, changing dialogue like nobody's business. I even have a vague outline for what's going to happen in each chapter. And let me tell you, it's SO much more different than what it ever could have been before. 
> 
> In terms of the first chapter, I'm proud of this. I didn't spend all that time working on it for nothing. I was perfecting it. And now that I'm satisfied, I'm ready to show it to the world. 
> 
> To everyone -- thank you for following this story! To those here before the chapter-mageddon -- I hope you don't mind going on this adventure one last time. Ciao! 
> 
>  
> 
> Comments are preferred!


	2. The Bruise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the second day of the Literature Club! Natsuki shows up with something strange on her knee.

_ He was angry. She didn’t know why.  _

_ Perhaps there was never a reason. Or maybe it was just simply her fault again.  _

_ His foot came down against her knee. She only had time to wince and think of one thing before his fist closed in on her hair and she was yanked forward.  _

_ That was going to bruise.  _

\--

If anybody noticed, nobody said anything. At least, that’s what Yuri gathered. 

When Natsuki had come - limping - through the door, Yuri didn’t know what to make of it. Then she had seen the bruise. The only way she could describe it was that it was the color of mold -- grey mold, the kind that could kill strawberries. 

Natsuki hadn’t seen her staring, and instead chose to hobble, silently, to the far side of the room. She slid into a desk this time, setting her bag down beside the chair, crossing a leg over her injured knee. 

And nobody said anything. Not until Monika decided to break the silence, that is. 

“Now that we’re all here,” she started, without a hint of condescension in her voice, “good afternoon! Welcome to day two of the literature club!” 

Yuri didn’t exactly know why, but she couldn’t stop glancing over at Natsuki. Said girl mostly kept her eyes on Monika, but occasionally she’d break away and uncross her legs, peeking under her desk at the bruise. An unreadable frown would cross her face as she’d pull her head back up and cross her legs again. And then she would fidget. 

“I do hope you all remembered to write your first poems of the year!” went the words of Monika, drawing Yuri’s attention back to her. 

Panic struck her momentarily as she struggled to remember if she wrote her poem last night, but then she relaxed; she’d almost forgotten last night, and had stayed up an extra five minutes to complete it, but she’d come prepared.  _ Phew.  _

Monika’s eyes scanned all three faces in the room, perhaps looking for the telltale “oh no” face, as she’d dubbed it last year. Supposedly seeing nothing, she clasped her hands together loudly and proclaimed, “Alright then! Get them out and prepare to share!” 

And there Yuri was, a few desks away from her club members, reaching into her open backpack and digging out a blue folder. Grabbing a piece of paper and taking it out, quickly looking it over for mistakes. The other girls were following suit; Yuri could hear them, hear the sounds of backpack zippers being tugged and papers being rustled around. Sayori came up from her bag secondly, holding her own poem. Natsuki was last in line. But, at least she brought something. 

_ Thank god I brought something.  _

There was a brief pause wherein there was only arbitrary silence, then it was taken again by the sound of Monika’s voice. 

“Share!” 

Yuri was the one to get up. She moved through the rows of desks, heading for her other two club-mates. In the end, Yuri got Natsuki's poem, Natsuki got Sayori's poem, and Sayori got Yuri's poem.

Yuri looked down at the paper in her hand. 

 

_. _

_ It’s cold in here.  _

_ I need a blanket.  _

_ Bleh.  _

_ Why is this so difficult?  _

_ I think I’m rusty.  _

_ My leg hurts.  _

 

And she blinks. 

It’s hardly even a poem, leaving nothing to be said about it. She’s speechless, but not in the good way. Not in the way that means she just read one of the most awe-inspiring pieces ever. She’s speechless in the way that she’s read something so bland and uninspired, that she can’t possibly find words to describe it.

And then it comes to her that the paper is crinkled, and her eyebrows furrow.

Natsuki probably had the same feeling. 

At least she wouldn’t have to actually critique this. 

She gets Sayori’s poem next. 

 

_ Fall for Me _

 

_ Fall for me, because I’m doing everything I can.  _

_ I’m balancing so much, don’t know how much more I can stand.  _

_ Fall for me for autumn walks and summer in the sun,  _

_ Fall for me so you can see that you’re my number one. _

  
  


She almost thinks it ends there, until she looks to the bottom right corner of the page and sees just a bit more writing.

_ Well that was dumb.  _

 

\---

She’s frowning over Yuri’s poem. Reading it over a thousand times, trying to find the meaning. 

Leave it to Yuri to write one of the most pointlessly extra things she’s ever read. 

 

_ Tenacious _

 

_ Clinging makes my fingers burn, _

_ my mind scream, _

_ but I am not strong enough to stop the palpitations of a tenacious heart. _

_ For once I had bathed in the soul of their afterimage, _

_ breathed in the philosophy, _

_ the water clung to my clothes, _

_ but oh,  _

_ how lucky it is that I did not go under.  _

  
  


_ \---  _

 

The day ends. She’s packing her things into her bag when Natsuki stumbles out the door. 

Once again, her eyes go to that bruise. She only gets a final, tiny glance before it is hidden around the corner. 

Monika and Sayori chat in the far corner of the room. 

Natsuki keeps limping.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ten days! Ten days after chapter one was released, and finally I get this out here. 
> 
> Blame the poems! Blame all of them except Natsuki's! God, they were hard. 
> 
> Thoughts are appreciated (no, seriously, please)! Comments are preferred over anything else!


	3. The Missing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the third day of the Literature Club! Somebody important is missing.

_ She’s sitting pressed up against the wall, but there’s no escape.  _

_ His fist connects with the side of her head. A hot flash of pain shoots through whatever’s behind her ear. She falls over onto the ground, unable to keep her balance.  _

_ He keeps going. _

 

\--

 

She stumbles into the closet. 

Her jaw aches and burns. The bruise on her knee sends pain through her leg as she stretches it out in the open space. 

She pulls the closet doors shut behind her. 

It's big enough in there for one. For two. For three. But nobody else comes in. It's just her. She's alone.

It comes to her that she can't remember a time when that wasn't the case. 

 

\--

 

Natsuki isn’t here today.  Oddly enough, it’s the first thing Yuri notices when she comes through the door. She’s a bit late this time, and an embarrassed tint of pink comes to her cheeks when she steps in and sees Sayori, always the latest, already at her seat. 

Monika glances at her with an unreadable expression and holds her palm up to the girl, as if not really having the motivation to wave. The hand comes down only a few seconds later, and the coral-brunette turns her head back to Sayori. The two seem to be deep in conversation with each other. Yuri chooses not to try and eavesdrop. 

Sliding into her usual desk, Yuri takes another quick glance around the room. Nope. Still no Natsuki. 

There’s a few minutes that Yuri spends deep in a book, one of the only things to be when Monika isn’t initiating the start of the club day. The coral-brunette seems perfectly fine chatting up Sayori, and there’s a point when Yuri briefly wonders if there will even be a club day at all.

Regardless, soon it begins. Monika stands up away from Sayori’s desk. Yuri puts her book away and looks up.

“Okay, everyone!” Monika' s booming voice fills the room. Her eyes sweep across the rows of desks. For a moment, Yuri catches a nervous smile. “...You two!” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know. I know, it's a short one. HOWEVER. I feel like it was necessary. Natsuki isn't here today (well, she's in the closet, but still), and without her there's not really much to do. Sorry for the short update, but more is on its way. Let me know what you think in the meantime! 
> 
> Comments > kudos > anything else!


End file.
